.jpg)
Laos officially launches the Monsoon Wind Farm to export wind power to Vietnam. (Photo: Power China)
After more than a decade of negotiations, Laos’ first and ASEAN’s largest onshore wind project, the Monsoon Wind Power Project, has officially started transmitting electricity to Vietnam as of July.
This milestone marks the successful realization of ASEAN’s first cross-border wind power initiative and sets a new precedent for the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) and regional electricity trading across Southeast Asia.
Bureaucratic hurdles slowed progress, developers say
Located near the Laos–Vietnam border, the Monsoon Wind farm consists of 133 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 600 MW. A newly built transmission line delivers the power to Vietnam.
Nat Hutanuwatr, COO of Thai renewable energy developer Impact Electrons Siam (IES), which initiated the project, described the bureaucratic burden as overwhelming. It was like “climbing a series of Everests,” he said, referring to the endless paperwork and delicate diplomatic processes.
